Over time, the use of computers, various programs, and public and private telephone systems, has led to a wide array of security and subscriber-oriented enabling methods. In addition, as the prevalence of electronic mail (commonly referred to as “e-mail”) systems increases, subscribers feel a growing need to be notified of such mail and to retrieve the mail virtually as soon as it arrives. Again, together with the need to quickly access a personal computer or telecommunication system to retrieve such messages, a secure access interface is necessary to prevent unauthorized users from doing so.
Typically, current access to computers and telephony networks and systems requires a user to perform certain tasks in order to enable and/or gain access to these devices, thereby ensuring the security of the devices.
However, the various methods and devices currently available require the use of fallible and somewhat time consuming interface methods with each of the devices. For example, the most common of the known methods is the memorization and inputting of keyboard/keypad entry passwords. For obvious reasons, this method is both unreliable and time consuming. Another known method is the use of coded magnetic ‘swipe-card’ systems, with or without entry passwords (such as personal identification or “PIN” numbers) (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,003 issued to James Macor on May 8, 2001, and commonly-assigned). However, this type of access and/or security and identification means is similarly unreliable as the magnetic strips commonly fail and are highly susceptible to wear and damage rendering the magnetic code and the device unusable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a small, inexpensive device that allows a user to be notified of any incoming messages through wireless means, access the telecommunication network or personal computer in which the message is stored, again through wireless means, and provide the ability to perform various preliminary functions, such as preset PC start-up functions or preset telecommunication functions such as dialing a number and providing billing information, all through wireless control.